Essential California

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Monday, July 29, and I’m writing from Los Angeles. A legendary California food festival turned into a scene of horror on Sunday night, when at least one person opened fire at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. At least three people were killed and 15 others were injured during the shooting. The three-day event is held every year in the Santa Clara County town of Gilroy, which bills itself as the “Garlic Capital of the World.” It’s hosted by community volunteers and raises money for schools, charities and nonprofit organizations. “It is genuinely a community event, in a way that I think few events like it are,” as my colleague Emily Alpert-Reyes, who began her career in Gilroy, wrote on Twitter. This story from the Gilroy Dispatch, which was published on Thursday, gives a sense of what the festival is like. And this longer 2018 storyfrom Curbed offers a deeper look at the importance of garlic to Gilroy, and the city’s history. Here’s more coverage on the shooting: » Witnesses describe Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting horror: “Active shooter, active shooter.” Los Angeles Times » A 72-year-old hat vendor at the festival describes witnessing the shooting. San Francisco Chronicle And here’s a look at the week ahead: On Tuesday, Mark Morgan, the acting commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, will testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on improving conditions at the southern border. Tuesday will also mark Night 1 of the second round of Democratic presidential candidate debates, which will be held in Detroit and hosted by CNN. Author Marianne Williamson will be the only California candidate in the ring during the first night of debates. On Wednesday, Sen. Kamala Harris will take the stage for Night 2 of the Democratic primary debates, which many in the commentariat class are billing as a potential “rematch” between the California senator and former Vice President Joe Biden. (With Rep. Eric Swalwell out of the race, Harris and Williamson will be the only California candidates in this round of debates. Fellow Californian and late race entrant Tom Steyer failed to qualify.) On Friday, the 38th annual Steinbeck Festival will commence in Monterey. The event will feature two days of John Steinbeck-themed films, talks, tours and visual and performing arts.